The things we do for love

Keeping up a healthy
relationship with your partner might be just as important – and as difficult –
as staying on good terms with your favorite club. As a weekend’s worth of
soccer approaches, make sure to keep
your partner in mind while your eye strays to the game. MLS wife Krista
Thorrington – the longtime sweetheart of Fire midfielder John Thorrington –
gave MLSsoccer.com some background on her relationship and how to appease your
main squeeze during times when relationships might seem secondary to the big
game.

MLSSoccer.com: How much soccer did you watch before dating John and how much
do you watch now? Is there ever an issue over the remote control?

KT: It's
hard for me to remember what I watched before I met John since we've known each
other for so long, but I did watch some soccer on TV. I mostly remember getting
up really early in the morning to watch World Cup games when I was in high
school. Needless to say, I watch a lot more soccer now. We watch games from MLS
as well as the European leagues. Fortunately John gets a big dose of the game
daily at training, so our TV isn't dominated by soccer when he's at home. That
certainly helps us avoid any remote control wars.

MLSSoccer.com:
Have you become a soccer fan since dating John or were you a soccer fan before
you met?

KT: I have always been a fan of
competitive sports in general, and, because I'm so non-competitive, I really
admire the drive and passion of professional athletes. I've come to appreciate
soccer mostly since I've known John.

MLSSoccer.com:How long have you guys dated, and when did you get married?

KT: John and I met in high school, and we've always been
best friends, but we didn't date until much later in life. We got married after
the 2008 MLS season in Southern California, where we both grew up.

MLSSoccer.com:Help us out. Pretend you’re dating a 20-something soccer fan again and
tell him what he can do for you so that watching soccer isn’t an issue in
your relationship.

KT: Contrary to what some may think, I
find that women really enjoy watching soccer and going to games. I meet tons of
female fans at Toyota Park who are just as enthusiastic as their boyfriends or
husbands. Unlike some other sports, a lot of women grew up playing soccer as
little girls, or have children who play, so they understand the game.

If
your girlfriend or wife isn't already a fan, I would recommend bringing her to
a game or to a meet-the-team event. Quite a few friends of mine back in
California became hooked on the game after going to one. I feel as though women
like to invest in what they're watching, and seeing a game live, or meeting a
player, helps facilitate that. Soccer stadiums in general are newer, cleaner,
and more family-friendly than other sports arenas, so it should be a good
experience for both of you.

However,
if you've tried those things, they didn't work, and you're planning on
literally watching a day's worth of soccer games back-to-back, you should
definitely offset it with some quality time the day before and after. Certainly
there are things she enjoys that you guys could do together. That way when
you're at the stadium or the bar having a great time, she'll be thinking about
how she had a great time yesterday doing whatever thoughtful thing you planned,
and you'll both be looking forward to your plans the next day. And, of course,
dinner, flowers, and spa passes are always appreciated any time!